1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fabricated rice prepared from starch materials such as corn starch, wheat starch, rice starch, etc.; whey protein materials such as whey powder, whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, etc.; and optionally, other grain powders such as nonglutinous rice flour. More specifically, it relates to fabricated rice which contains nutritively advantageous whey protein, retains its shape still after the rice-cooking operation and are suitable for use in a dietary treatment.
2. Prior Art
Manufacture of fabricated rice had already been proposed pre-war. In Japan, however, such proposal was intended to treat national rice shortage, up to about 1950, by providing a substitution for natural rice from low price materials such as wheat flour, potatoes, corns and/or the like.
Since then, in due course of time, the economical demands for imitation rice had almost disappeared and efforts to develop fabricated rice had decreased considerably. Recently, however, studies on fabricated rice have revived for the purpose of nutritive enrichment and/or optimum control of human nutrition, or for dietary treatment.
In the following, several related prior art will be raised for reference.
a) For nutritive enrichment and optimum control of human nutrition, nonglutinous rice flour as a main constituent was mixed with starches, calcium phosphate, and vitamin A, and the mixture was extruded under high pressure and shaped. (Japanese Patent LOP Publn. No. Sho-58-5148). Alternatively, rice- or wheat germs were used as raw materials for the purpose of enriching vitamin B.sub.1 content. (Japanese Patent LOP Publn. No. Sho-48-44453). PA1 b) According to another method for fabricating fabricated rice, a mixture of pure starch and water is heated, pressurized and kneaded to provide fabricated rice especially adapted for those having renal failure. (Japanese Patent LOP Publn. No. Sho-50-24453). PA1 c) For special uses, starch-rich grains such as rice, barley, wheat or the like are modified by adding vitamin(s) and calcium to adjust swelling degree of the product. (Japanese Patent LOP Publn. No. Sho-61-37068). Alternatively, a mixture of rice flour and white rice bran is steamed, kneaded, shaped, and then coated with a mixture of pregelatinized rice flour and koji, thus providing fabricated rice suitable for preparing rice koji. (Japanese Patent LOP Publn. No. Sho-51-1668). PA1 (1) capable of being used in alimentotherapy for those having renal failure or hepatic disorder, the protein intake of whom is restricted to a narrow range. PA1 (2) capable of being cooked analogously to natural rice using conventional electric rice cooker.